When a telephone number is dialed, certain information is sent through the telephone network before a chargeable connection is established. The type of information sent through the network depends upon which particular network is transmitting the call. Typically, this information at least includes the number which was dialed, the type of phone from which the call was made, and the number from which the call was dialed. However, a variety of additional information may also be sent through the network. Often, the network provider will allow a customer to specify the type of information they wish to receive in response to an incoming call when the customer orders their service. The information is also provided to allow the networks to initiate setup of a call and provide a plethora of other services such as caller ID, customer billing, and call routing. For example, by reading the preconnection information, caller ID allows a telephone user to know the phone number from which a call was made without answering the phone.
Based on the preconnection information, methods have been devised that allow an individual making a international call between two foreign countries to be billed as if the call had originated in the United States. For example, consider one procedure for making a international call from Germany to Korea. From your telephone in Germany, you dial a callback number in the U.S. and hang up after a couple of ringbacks. The callback system then calls you back and you enter the number in Korea you wish to call. The callback system then dials the number in Korea and you are connected. The cost of the call is calculated at the rate of a call from the United States to Germany plus the rate from the United States to Korea. Because of the relatively inexpensive phone rates in the United States, the cost of the international call placed in accordance with the above method is often substantially less than the cost of a direct international call.
The cost of a domestic long distance telephone call also depends in part upon the location and type of the telephone from which the call originated. Thus, in many instances, the cost of a long distance call from party A to party B will often be substantially different than the cost of a call from party B to party A. For example, the rate charged for a long distance call made from a pay phone to an individual will cost more than a phone call from the individual to the pay phone. Likewise, charges for calls originated from cellular phones are typically higher than charges for calls originated from standard phones.
Pay phone per usage charges are incurred when a call is placed from a pay phone to certain numbers. Typically, these numbers include toll free numbers such as 1-8xx numbers, access code calls such as 10-xxx numbers, and calling card numbers. However, due to the rapidly changing nature of the deregulated phone system, it is anticipated that the types of numbers to which the per usage charges are applied may be expanded.
Calling cards, prepaid or otherwise, allow a caller to call a number that represents their service provider. The caller then inputs the number that they wish to call and an identification number identifying their account and the service provider connects the call. However, the call is initiated from the location of the caller that calls the service provider. Thus, if the caller is at a pay phone, a per call pay phone usage surcharge is owed to the pay phone service provider.
Long distance calls placed from a cellular phone to another party generally result in high long distance charges. Sometimes the call could be completed less expensively, if the call was originated from a location other than the cellular phone. However, the cellular phone caller can not tell the party they wish to call to call them without completing a call to the party and, thereby, incurring long distance charges.
Therefore, what is needed is a method and device that allows a domestic caller wishing to place a telephone call from a relatively expensive location to a relatively inexpensive location to automatically initiate a call from the less expensive location to the more expensive location.
The present invention overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art by providing a method of minimizing phone charges for calls between numbers that are made in accordance with the North American Dialing Plan (NADP). The NADP is sometimes also referred to as the North American Numbering Plan (NANP). The NADP divides the participating countries into area codes, each of which is a three digit number. Within each area code, a telephone number is always seven digits, except for special codes like the 911 emergency number. For our purposes, all calls made in accordance with the NADP will be considered domestic calls. The method entails receiving preconnection information transmitted to a domestic callee's telephone line in response to an incoming call from a domestic caller. The terminology used in the telecommunications industry varies immensely. For our purposes, "telephone line" is used to refer to the connection to the public switched telephone network provided to a customer by a phone service provider. The preconnection information received on the domestic callee's telephone line is examined to determine the caller's telephone number without answering the incoming call. If the examination of the preconnection information indicates that it would be less expensive to place a return call than to answer the incoming call, the domestic call is not answered and a return call is automatically placed by dialing the domestic caller's telephone number. If an examination of the preconnection information reveals that it would be more cost effective to simply answer the incoming domestic call, the domestic call is answered.
Thus, the present invention overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art by providing a means for placing a telephone call from a pay phone to a second location that allows the call to be initiated from the second location. By initiating the call from the second location, the system minimizes the connection charges. Furthermore, by initiating the call from the second location, the method allows the call to be billed to the phone number or calling card at the second location and permits the person making the call at the pay phone to complete the call without invoking a pay phone per usage charge.
In accordance with a particularly preferred method of the present invention, phone charges are minimized by receiving preconnection information transmitted to a callee's toll free telephone line in response to an incoming call from a caller. The preconnection information is examined to determine the caller's telephone number without answering the incoming call. The preconnection information is also examined to determine whether or not the incoming call was placed from a pay phone without answering the incoming call. If it is determined that the incoming call was not placed from a pay phone, the call is completed. If it is determined that the incoming call was placed from a pay telephone, the call is not completed and a return call is placed by dialing the caller's telephone number.
In one form of a preferred embodiment, when the caller answers the return call, the caller is prompted to enter an identification code. The identification code is verified to insure that it corresponds to an authorized caller. An alarm, such as a standard telephone ring, is produced that indicates a return call has been made and when the desired party answers the alarm, the call is completed. The call is then timed and an account corresponding to the identification code is charged an amount that is proportional to the amount of time the caller is connected.
The aforementioned preferred embodiment is an improvement over the prior art in that it allows the provider of the toll free line to avoid the per use charge imposed by pay phone service providers on toll free lines. Furthermore, by use of a toll free line, the initial call can generally be placed from a pay phone without the need to deposit any money whatsoever. This can be extremely beneficial in certain circumstances. For example, trucking companies often operate out of a central location and it is necessary for the truck drivers to routinely contact the central office to check in and receive assignments. Using the present invention, the truck drivers can simply contact the central office's toll free number from any pay phone without establishing a connection, receive a callback, and communicate with the central office without incurring the high charges associated with pay phones or the per use charge associated with a toll free line. Thus, the aforementioned method is a considerable improvement over the prior art.
In another preferred method of the present invention, the preconnection information at least includes data representing dialed number identification service (DNIS) data, information digits identifying the type of the caller phone, and automatic number identification (ANI) information. However, the preconnection information may also contain a variety of other additional information.
In accordance with other preferred methods of the present invention, the identification code is entered either by pressing numbers on the keypad of the caller's telephone corresponding to the identification code, dialing a number on the caller's telephone corresponding to the identification code, or speaking the identification code into the caller's telephone.
In another preferred method, a calling card system is operated by receiving a telephone call from a caller and examining the preconnection information to determine a telephone number from which the telephone call was made. The telephone call is not answered. A return call is placed to the telephone number from which the telephone call was received. The party answering the phone is prompted to enter an identification code and the identification code is received. The entered identification code is verified to insure it corresponds to an authorized user. The party answering the phone is prompted to enter a telephone number that the party wishes to call. The party is connected to the telephone number that they entered, and an account associated with the identification number is charged a fee. The charged fee is proportional to the amount of time the party is connected to the telephone number the party entered. Additionally, after the original connection between the caller and the calling card company is made, the caller can place another call by entering another phone number without breaking the established connection and repeating the above discussed procedure.
In yet another preferred method, the caller is signaled that the telephone number from which the telephone call was made was received and that the caller may hang up the receiver.
The methods discussed above are a significant improvement over the prior art because they result in no per call pay phone usage charge and lower long distance rates. Thus, an individual using a calling card that is operated in accordance with the above described method will realize substantial monetary savings over calling cards operated in accordance with traditional practices. Furthermore, the individual using the calling card usually does not need any money to initiate the calling process.
In accordance with another preferred embodiment, a device is provided for minimizing phone charges. The device includes a telephone line and a processing means. The processing means receive preconnection information on the telephone line in response to an incoming domestic call from a caller on the telephone line, examine the preconnection information to determine a number corresponding to a telephone from which the incoming domestic call was initiated without answering the incoming domestic call, and dial the number corresponding to the telephone from which the incoming domestic call was initiated.
In accordance with a particularly preferred embodiment, a digital computer is provided for receiving an identification code input by the caller, determining the identification of the caller based on the identification code, and examining the preconnection information to determine if the incoming domestic call was placed from a pay telephone. The digital computer may also have a voice recognition system for receiving the identification code.
In accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for minimizing phone charges is provided. A telephone line is connected to a call management system, such as a PBX, that receives incoming calls and routes the calls to the desired destination.
Processing means receive preconnection information in response to an incoming telephone call that contains automatic number identification, dialed number identification service, and phone type information. The dialed number identification service information is examined to determine the number to which the incoming call should be connected. The automatic number identification information is examined to determine the telephone number from which the incoming call was placed. A return call is placed to the number from which the incoming call was placed without answering the incoming call. Optionally, processing means prompt the person who answers the return call to enter an identification code, and after the identification code is received, it is verified that the identification code is assigned to an authorized user. The return call is connected to the telephone number to which the incoming call should be connected.
The call management system of the present invention improves the prior art by allowing all incoming calls to be charged as if they originated from inside the called parties system. For example, a company that has a substantial number of employees which need to travel would benefit significantly from the present invention. The employees could call a particular department or employee at the home office from a pay phone, enter a code corresponding to themselves, and shortly thereafter receive a call from that department or employee at the pay phone. The call would be charged as if it had been originated from the home office and, thus, the company would realize substantial savings.
In accordance with another preferred embodiment, the incoming call originates from a cellular phone.
In accordance with another preferred embodiment, the ANI information is examined to determine if the call is being placed from a number that warrants blocking the call or answering the call.
In accordance with yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the telephone line is equipped to operate as a toll free number.
In accordance with yet another preferred embodiment, an incoming call notification alarm indicates that an incoming call was detected and a return call has been placed.
In yet other preferred embodiments, a digital computer or processing means signals the caller that the preconnection information was received by transmitting a tone or a voice message. Additional signals, such as a blinking light, could be employed in special situations such as where it is desirable to produce a silent alarm or to signal the hearing impaired.